Wood in Indian Art

A lacquer painted wooden head of Lord Shiva, from the Hindu trinity, probably part of the decoration of a Hindu temple car. The head-dress is a kiritamukuta ending in a spire elaborately carved into beaded bands having small figures of Hindu deities at regular intervals. 

Lord Shiva is depicted with moustaches and horizontal marks on his forehead, probably from Channapatna, South India, dated to the 19^th century.

Figure of Lord Nataraja with his symbols of flame, gesture of fearlessness and damaru, the drum. The prabhavali or halo of flames carved on either end reaches down into the opening mouths of two mythological animals.The apasmara purusha is beneath his feet. The pedestal is carved with decorative designs, from South India, dated to the 18^th century.

Carving of a standing figure of Lord Rama. The great Indian epic Ramayana is the story of his life. The upward arrow-points are crescent shaped and the bell hanging from the animal-mouth of the bow are the distinguishing features, from South India, 20th century.

Seated figure of Goddess Saraswati having a veena on her lap wearing ornaments and the crown seated on a rectangular base with arch shaped prabhavali. The stylized flames are on the outer edge and leaves on the inner edge, bamboo, probably from Bengal/Assam, dated to the 20th century. 

 Temple lamp-stand on a pedestal with supports in the form of animal paws. The lamp post, raised on an elephant, takes the yali shape in the middle and ends with a flat top. 


Yali is a mythical creature seen in many Hindu temples. It is usually portrayed as part lion,  part elephant, or part horse and sometimes has bird-like features. Their presence is supposed to be protective for the temple. They are also called vyala, from South India, dated to the  20^th century.

In Hinduism Radha-Krishna are together known as the combination of the masculine and feminine aspects of divinity or God. Lord Krishna, the soul is a part of God and Radha is a feeling of love which connects living beings to the creator. Gopis are cow-herding girls of  Vrindavan, who are utterly devoted to Lord Krishna. Radha is the most revered gopi.  In 'Krishna on a swing’, the front of this sandalwood carving shows cows,  and attendant gopis  on either side of Krishna, from Mysore, dated to the 20th century.

Carving depicting the episode of Kaliyamardanam; Lord Krishna standing with his left foot on Kaliya, the naga, from South India, dated to the 19th century.

Carved Lord Ganesha also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka; is one of the most worshipped deities in the Hindu religion. He is known as a remover of obstacles, patron of knowledge and god of intellect and wisdom. The sculpture depicts him flanked by two attendants, his vahana  or vehicle mooshaka is also seen, from South India, dated to the 19th century.

Carved crawling infant Krishna eating butter with his right hand and left hand kept over the butter pot, dated to the 18th century.

Dwarapalaka or door guardian with four hands, the upper hand with emblems conch and discus, the lower right with a gada or mace, the lower left is raised up to his chest, from South India, dated to the 19th century.

An exquisite screen in four folds representing compartments, vine creeper design in open work in a lattice type pattern all over, from Kashmir, dated to the 19th century.

Ornate chair with a slightly slanting tall back carved with Hanuman and Sita in the bottom and Krishna holding two snakes in his two hands on top. The base has a carved pattern of creepers on the sides. The front legs are animal shaped, from Malabar, dated to the 19th century.

A screen in four folds representing geometric patterns in open work and inlaid in brass to represent creeper pattern over the sides, from Kashmir, dated to the 19th century.

A horse with two riders standing on a crocodile base having men under its forelegs and also a griffin under its belly, from South India dated to the 19th century.